Blood of the Devil (Tinder and Yuuki_Tatsunohi)

[Tinder]

Nike​

Nike sighed quietly when she heard Milton's offer. Generous as it was, she had hoped to use the trip to get some distance from her new cousin for a few hours. She had no idea how the stupid angel had managed to lay low for longer than a week acting like a complete spaz as he had. That he'd complained about her giving them away seemed ridiculous after that display.

Seeing no other options, she followed Milton toward his cabin, ignoring the angel. "Anything would be good, thanks," she said with a forced smile, "I'd hate to have to wear the same thing for however long it takes them to find my luggage." Not to mention the jagged rips and blood stains made it rather difficult to pull off in public.

"Sorry about my cousin," she continued, lowering her voice, "He's never forgiven me for the time I pushed him into a pool in front of his crush when we were younger." A stupid explanation but fitting for the petty jackass. He did seem the sort to hold a grudge like that for ages.

The mention of food earlier had her stomach rumbling again. The bag of chips she'd claimed the night before did nothing to fill her up. Despite only missing two meals, she felt like she'd gone without for a week, maybe more. No trip to a store meant she'd need a new plan to get some food out of the stubborn windbag. He'd probably be even crabbier after this so the direct method seemed unlikely. Maybe if she snuck upstairs later tonight when he was asleep.

Zien​

The children of a random victim, huh? Not the story Zien expected to hear. Xander had dropped off the map after finishing his last case which, from what Zien could recall, had nothing to do with a pregnant woman. Unless he'd come across the woman during his retirement. If anyone would keep an exorcism quiet to uphold a promise to a dying mother rather than risk going through the proper channels, it would be Xander.

Still, something seemed…off to Zien. He made a mental note to look into it further once the investigation into the attack had ended, trusting that Diana had told him everything she knew. She had little reason to lie to him now.

"That's fine," Zien replied as he picked up his tea, "It was personal curiosity, nothing more." Arguable not the most professional attitude for him to have but he wasn't in a professional setting. He only meant to have a morning chat with the girl. If Diana wanted to refuse him an answer, she had every right to. Nothing would go on record; not unless some vital clue suddenly emerged, but that would be a painful mountain of paperwork to fill out.

He pushed his chair back and stood up. "Go ahead and finished up eating. I have a few things I need to do before we go. Take as much time as you need to finish." He took his mug and tablet over to his desk to begin gathering what he needed for work. The investigation called him as did the report that Weber had to share. No doubt Diana would appreciate getting the day over with as well; she deserved the rest after the day she'd had.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon​

Simon couldn't believe this.

Milton was willingly offering this girl some of his belongings. This girl, this demon, was receiving some supplies from an old man who was being too helpful. Granted Milton does not know she's a demon, and Simon can't reveal that without risking exposure as an angel. No, that was definitely out of the question. Still, Milton is a human, much older than Xander, and likely couldn't even defend himself against a demon. Simon wasn't going to leave him alone with her.

Speaking of Xander, just what was he thinking keeping her around? A demon is still a demon, even if he managed to seal her true nature away. And the fact she was his 'daughter.' It was hard to imagine a human like Xander somehow having a daughter who was also a demon. The idea these two had the same blood should be impossible. He frowned. There was something more going on that Xander needs to explain and he hoped to find out more the next time he sees him.

Milton and the demon continued towards the man's cabin. Begrudgingly, and wanting to make sure she didn't pull any funny tricks, he followed.

Milton nodded at Nike's dislike for being stuck with only one outfit. It certainly wouldn't be pleasant not having a change of clothes, nor is living with someone who refuses to aid even a relative.

At her explanation for Simon's behavior, he snorted then burst into laughter. Milton glanced back at Simon trailing behind them, the glare on his bespectacled features now mixed with confusion causing Milton to laugh even harder. Somehow, it all makes sense now.

"Explains a lot. You should tell me the full story sometime," he laughed.

He held open the door to his cabin for the two guests, revealing a more decorated interior than Simon's. Various décor hung from the walls, such as fish taxidermy mounted proudly with a small carving of the year caught and the number of pounds under each one. There were also pictures as well, many of them with Milton at different ages of his life standing next to one or two people who were presumably once a wife and child. Milton led the way past his kitchen where cookware was set up on the table and sound of a radio was playing.

"Sorry about the mess," Milton apologized. "I was just in the middle of getting stuff together when there was that huge wind gust." Simon slightly shifted at the mention of the wind, but otherwise made no comment. Milton then added, "Oh, Nike. When I'm finished cooking, I'll let you have the first bite of my lemon fish. I heard your stomach growling back there, so I'm sure you must be hungry."

He continued down the hall of his cabin until he came across a coat closet. Sliding open the doors, he took a moment before pulling out a large box and setting it on the floor, opening it to reveal the box full of clothes that smelled strongly of mothballs.

"Alrighty, here's some shirts you can borrow. Got some pants underneath as well." He gently patted a striped blue and yellow T-shirt. He paused for a second, a fond yet sad smile forming on his lips as he regarded the T-shirt. "All straight from the '90s, so closest you'll get to anything from today."

Diana​

Diana nodded. "Okay." She watched Mr. Okuma go, taking his mug and tablet and disappearing into what she assumed to be his office.

She ate the rest of her food in silence. Aside from the daunting prospect of living on her own sooner than she thought and the recovery of her sister, there would need to be funeral arrangements. Diana's stomach churned at the thought of seeing her guardian lying in a casket, then lowered six feet into the ground. It just . . . wasn't something she thought she would have to do at eighteen.

And to think only yesterday her biggest concern was picking the right school to go to.

This was all that demon's fault. That skull-faced demon was the reason why Xander was dead, why Nike was missing, and why she was the only one left behind. They hadn't even done anything—Diana was sure her sister never had a run in with the demon either since she couldn't see them—and yet the skull-face simply decided to target the Lees for its own gain. She clenched her fist; humans were nothing more than a plaything for a demon or angel's whims.

Diana placed the dish in the sink, taking it upon herself to clean up. She then found her way back to the guest room Mr. Okuma lent her and fixed the bed to be as neat as possible. He mentioned he had a spare toothbrush in the bathroom; she can freshen up a little before they go. Once finished and everything had been fixed back to the way it was when she arrived the night before, Diana headed for the living room to wait.

"Okay, Mr. Okuma. I'm ready," she said.

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

Milton led them into his cabin as Nike did her best to ignore the angel stalking their steps. The interior looked like the pictures she'd seen in books growing up, almost comically stereotypical yet far cozier than the cabin she had slept in last night. If it meant food and friendly company, she'd gladly hangout with the stuffed fish. Her eyes lingered on some of his pictures as they passed them. A fisherman and family man. Was his wife somewhere else in the house then?

However all thoughts about the interior of the cabin and the man fled her mind at the mention of food. He wanted to give her food. Like real food? She tried not to drool as she replied, "Uh, thanks. That'd be great." Any kind of food would be good to her after going all night with little more than chips to fill her but something with protein sounded even better. If only that fish came with a good Caesar salad and maybe a side of fries and a triple cheese burger. Dessert optional.

She had to admit, Milton was growing on her. Generous and welcoming; the exact opposite of her host.

His words when he opened up the box for her were immediately clear. She remembered seeing teenagers wearing clothing like this on TV growing up, usually the boys while the girls had similar styles albeit more fitted. Diana had obsessed over those stylish movie stars. Oh, Dee… Nike pulled out one of shirt that appeared to be, yep, a half top. Many of the shirts probably were while the pants below would be baggy. Not her usual style but better than blood stained and shredded by demons.

She opened her to comment on the age but stopped herself when something clicked about the way Milton looked at old clothing. "Did these belong to your son?" she asked, her tone gentle yet cautious. It could be mere sentimentality drawing such a sad look to his face. His son would be full grown if he grew up in the 90s, perhaps living far away in one of the bigger cities.

Zien​

It took very little time for Zien to check over his work bag and ensure he had the necessary paperwork with him. He used the extra time to shot off a few emails including one to Kims assuring her that he would have Diana back in the building soon. Not many would make a fuss about a breach in protocol to help ease the strain on a victim but it was better to be careful. That compassion came from dealing with some of the harsher realities of their work. People died frequently, some after losing their minds and taking the lives of their loved ones. Those that lived deserved whatever help G.U.A.R.D.S could afford them.

He strapped on one of his pistols and shouldered his bag before returning to the living room where Diana waited for him. "We can go then," he said, motioning for her to follow him. He slipped his shoes on before retrieving a ring of keys from a bowl beside the door.

After locking up, Zien led the way to the parking garage off of his apartment where he kept his little two door Honda. It was tidy inside with charms attached to the interior of each door and on the dashboard. He opened the passenger door for Diana before crossing over to the driver's side and tossing his bag into the backseat.

He started up the car and backed them out, heading for the exit. "You've got a full day ahead of you," he said as he drove, "After we check you in, someone will be by to ask you about the attack. You'll need to give them your statement and possibly answer a few questions about your family background. The more you can share, the better the chances we'll have to find your sister. If you need anything during the proceedings, just ask. You're not being held as a criminal so if you need food, water, or a break, just let an officer know and they'll do what they can."

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon
​

Upon hearing the demon's question, Simon was also curious to know about Milton's son. He faced one of the pictures on the wall. It was a sepia-colored picture of three people: a man, a woman, and a small boy. The man, upon closer inspection, had very similar features to Milton: the same nose, the same smile, and the same blue eyes. Simon figured the woman next to him must have been someone whom he had a very close relationship with. And the boy between them, a bright smile on his face with two missing front teeth, had a mix of features from both of them. Were all three of these people part of what humans called a 'family'?

Simon had never asked about Milton's family. Not that he hadn't noticed the other people in the pictures, he just never bothered to ask. He didn't question the fact the elder man lived by himself in his cabin without even having a visitor. Milton never seemed to bring up the topic either, as if his family was something he'd prefer not to talk about.

Milton nodded. "Demon attack. He was around your age, maybe a year older," he said. He regarded the shirt in Nike's hands for a moment then added, "I've been holding onto them far longer than I should have but—" he pushed the box towards Nike. "—I'm sure he'd prefer I give them to you rather than have them gather dust." Milton chuckled, musing about what his son would be saying to him now.

He stood up. "Well, I hope this helps out. There should be enough clothes to last you a few weeks. By then I'm sure you'll either get your stuff back or your cousin will take you to the nearby town."

Upon hearing the word 'cousin' again, Simon frowned. Oh, how he loathed the idea being related to her by blood or being connected to her in some way. It left a bad tasted in his mouth. If it were Simon's way, this strange, dark-fire wielding demon should stay inside the basement, like she was supposed to, without meeting Milton and making her existence known.

Milton patted Simon on the shoulder. "Just stop by town for a few hours and then you're done. Think of it like running errands." Maybe if he could make it seem not as bad, then Simon would be more open to going into town. Unbeknownst to Milton, however, Simon was trying to imagine what an errand even looked like while it ran as if it had two feet. Milton glanced at Nike, sympathy reflected in his eyes. "Good luck with that one."

Diana ​

Diana followed Mr. Okuma out of his apartment and to the garage where his car was kept. She noticed the charms hanging from the doors in addition to the ones on his dashboard. They looked familiar, very much like the charms Xander used to make. Driving out of the apartment property, Zien explained what she should expect once they got to the station. She nodded in understanding, though Diana would rather stay in the bedroom and never wake up instead of answering more questions.

They drove back to the station, passing through the familiar gates of the local G.U.A.R.D.S. facility and finding a slot in the parking lot.

"'Morning Zien!" Someone called. A pretty woman was waving to Zien, a bright smile on her face. She raised an eyebrow when she noticed Diana, opening her mouth to ask when she was interrupted by the chime on her phone. She sighed, shaking her head. "Wish I could chat as we walk in but I'm in a hurry! My apprentice is looking for me and Rashn wants my report on my latest case." The woman fast walked toward the building, answering her phone and speaking in a language that sounded like Chinese.

"Apprentice?" Diana asked aloud. Aah, that's right. Apprentices. Back in her school there were a few times where G.U.A.R.D.S. agents would come by and set up information booths for recruiting. It was always a popular booth but only had a small line with kids who could see supernatural like her. All of them looked eager to join the force. Diana herself never paid much attention to it, nor did she have any desire to fight against a demon or angel. At least, she never did when she still had Xander and Nike.

Diana walked to the building and was immediately greeted by Olivia who had noticeable bags under her eyes.

"Hey Diana," Olivia greeted before turning to Zien. "Okuma glad I ran into you. You'll see this in my response to your email, but I managed to find a place for Diana to stay. I placed the paperwork on your desk. Also, Rashn hasn't found out you housed her for the night, but I suggest you get her in now since he's meeting with some clerics and awaiting Gray who'll be getting her official statement today. Also, Weber said he wanted to see you?"

Kims shrugged. It seemed like Mr. Okuma was already being handed his work. A lot of work by the sounds of it. All the agents here seemed to be very busy; Mr. Okuma, that woman from earlier, and Kims too. Diana was curious to hear what the agent Weber had to say to Mr. Okuma, especially if it relates to finding her sister, but with all the things Olivia mentioned as well as the busy station, maybe it was best to wait until later. Olivia volunteered to get Diana checked in and led her to another interrogation room. This one had that there was a couch, a coffee table, and a few flower paintings hanging from the walls. It had a softer feel than the previous one she was in last night.

"Sorry we keep on having to ask you questions but that's our protocol," Olivia apologized.

"I understand." Diana took a seat on one couch while Olivia sat adjacent to her. More questions. She'll have to repeat her story and relive everything once again. She had a feeling this wasn't going to be the last time either. It was part of their proceedings as Mr. Okuma called it. How G.U.A.R.D.S. operated, how they helped others and fight against the demons who brought them harm. How they will find her sister.

"I hope you were able to get some sleep last night," said Olivia interrupting her thoughts. She rubbed her tired eyes. "I didn't, but I had to finish some things. Not exactly policy to let a survivor stay at an agent's place, but it was very nice of Zien to do so." At that Diana nodded in agreement. "And his place is secure too. His wards and charms are top tier, so you can bet no supernatural being will be coming anywhere near there. In fact, I believe he was an apprentice to your father."

Mr. Okuma was an apprentice to Xander? That explains why he was nice to her, and why his charms looked like her father's. She remembered the wall where photos of various agents hung, with Xander's picture among them. Xander mentioned he used to work for G.U.A.R.D.S. before they were born. He never went into the details about it, but she remembered his picture was grouped with a bunch of past colonels. Considering his rank and the skill he showed whenever he warded off demons when she was little, Diana wouldn't be surprised if his student also proved to be just as powerful. Even with Xander dead, surely it took more than being knocked away like a ragdoll to have taken him down, and she was sure the same could be said of his former student Mr. Okuma as well.

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

Nike felt the tail sag inside of Xander's jacket when Milton described what happened. It was a common story even in the city with G.U.A.R.D.S. patrolling the streets. Angel attacks happened—often taking out whole city blocks when they did—but not nearly as often. If a family had a story about loss it almost always came down to a demon possession. Come to think of it, her own story now involved demons though thankfully no one had died.

Instead she found herself changed in ways she still struggled to understand.

She shook the thoughts off. Rather than dwell, she sorted through the clothing in the box to find what looked wearable. She had no intention of snubbing this gift but even she had her limits when it came to fashion. Some of the trends of the 90s died a slow and painful death, and she had no intention of resurrecting them. Other problems remained to be sorted through but she decided to keep them to herself. Milton had done enough as it was.

After refolding the clothes, she closed the box and got to her feet. "Thanks for this. I'll probably be around for a while. Maybe we can talk some more later." She could use a bright spot in her existence.

She picked up the box and tucked it under her arm as though it weighed nothing. More easily than she might have the day before. She tried to make a show of adjusting her grip to disguise the abnormality. "So how long have you lived?"

Zien​

Zien nodded to Kims after she relayed her messages to him. It seemed as good a time as any to hand of Diana for her questioning so he left the older woman in charge before starting for his office. He had paperwork to do before he went off to meet with Weber. If Rashan got his report from Diana without all the paperwork being in, he'd come to Zien to whine about it. Everyone at the top had far too much interest in documentation.

On his way to the office, he passed another man dressed in a grey suit with a mop of curly blond hair. He flashed Zien a smile. "Good morning, Okuma. I'm off to question your witness from yesterday. In the debriefing room?"

"Probably," he replied before continuing on his way.

Brendan Gray watched him go. Okuma never took any time for pleasantries. The occasionally quip, maybe, but never a hello. He shook his head and continued on his way, steeling himself for the day ahead. Collecting reports took up most of his day but they never got any easier. Every family sat there in some state of shock, either angry at the world or frozen or openly weeping. Today looked no better.

Once he arrived outside the debriefing room, he paused at the door to knock softly. "Alright if I come in?" he asked before peeking in the room. He spotted Kims sitting nearby and felt some relief. "Good morning, Olivia. Good to see you. I had worried I'd need to locate another agent to help me with this." Or rather to fulfill the protocol about two agents being present whenever a minor was questioned. He sat down in an arm chair across from the couch and flashed the younger woman a smile. "Good to meet you, Diana. My name is Agent Brendan Gray. We'll be having a quick chat this morning just to get down all the details from yesterday."

He took out a notebook and pen. The tablets that most agents used had always given him trouble when taking notes. He preferred to scribble on paper and type an official document after. "I'm very sorry for your loss. I met your father once many years ago. He was an incredible man. Everyone in this branch looked up to him. Rest assured I want to do everything in my power to help your family including finding your sister." The briefing about the case had crossed his desk that morning.

"I know this will be difficult but I need you to walk me through your day yesterday and tell me whatever you can remember. Even the smallest occurrence might give us a clue about what happened. Can we start with what happening in the morning?"

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon
​

The elder man nodded. "Fine by me." It would be nice change to have someone else to talk to. Nike didn't seem like the kind of person who turned skittish at the idea of interaction unlike someone. She also didn't seem to be too noisy, aside from that argument she had with Simon. Family business, Milton, he reminded himself. Whatever it was that made her come here and the fact she had to live with Simon who didn't seem happy by the idea either, the least he could do was be a welcoming neighbor.

"Long enough to be your great-grandpa," he chuckled, not noticing how easily the box of clothes was picked up. He made way for the kitchen, lightly bumping Simon's bicep with his fist. "Been here about, eh, 10 years? Only a few years ago did Simon come in and now you. Not a big crowd, so definitely no angels coming by and I count this placed blessed as there never was a demon problem either."

Milton looked utterly proud of that fact, as if he had found the safest place on Earth. If only he realized what his neighbors really were. There may have been some weight of truth to his thinking; the old man remained undetected by any supernatural for years, even demons who liked lone targets. It was a big risk for him to take, but he did it and survived. Simon never mentioned it nor did Milton ever need to know, but after Simon moved here, living by the lakeside became even safer.

Though maybe Simon might have his hands a little tied up now that he had to live with a demon.

He glared at said demon then followed after Milton. "Thank you, but you didn't have to do that."

Milton waved his hand. "Bah, no trouble. She can use the clothes until she gets her stuff back or you guys go to town to shop. You'll probably need to make a trip or two."

"Right. Town." Interacting with other humans meant risking getting caught. If Xander were here, then he would gladly do it himself knowing it was safer than risking the angel being caught. Even if it was just Simon he could at least watch out for himself. But now he had to watch over this weird demon as well? "I'll . . . get on that." He narrowed his eyes at her. "And we're done here. Right?"

Diana
​

There was another knock on the door and a young man entered, greeting Olivia. He introduced himself as Brendan Gray, the agent who will be getting her official statement.

"Aah. Yes, of course." Olivia groaned, rubbing her head and sitting straight to help keep her awake. Diana was glad there would be a familiar face in the room though she felt sorry she was losing sleep over her.

"Hi," Diana returned. Mr. Gray sat down opposite her and Olivia, pulling out a notepad and pen and asking her to repeat her day.

Just like Mr. Okuma said. She took a moment then started with her going school for the day. She wondered if the school heard about what happened last night. Ella and Art must be worried about her and her sister too. Art may not have gotten along with Nike all the time, but he wouldn't have wanted her to get possessed at all, Diana was sure of it. She continued on, telling Mr. Gray of the boy she encountered on her way home who had a bunch of tiny demons crowding around his head and the G.U.A.R.D.S. agent following him. Diana told Mr. Gray of the angel who tried to get to her through Xander's shield, Nike's return home with stitches from whatever fight she got in, the tension between her and Xander, and then finally the attack from which she and her sister tried to escape from.

"The demon had my sister by the throat. I-I tried to get it away from her with a charm Xander taught me but it hit me. It started—" she paused, trying to find the right words "—started, breaking down. Like as if its form was wasn't holding up. It started surrounding my sister and the next thing I knew I was on the couch and Mr. Okuma was there."

Olivia nodded as Brendan jotted down everything down. What Diana had described was the demon attempting to possess her sister. Olivia had yet to see the process directly in action but she was well aware of the affects. In the jailhouse when on her rotations, all occupants were possessed by some supernatural and displayed traits that were not human. With trained eyes, one could tell if it was a demon or angel, often by looking in the eyes of the victim themselves. That wasn't the only change brought upon to the victim. Some demons were even careless enough to put the body through further abuse. Olivia couldn't count the number of times she had to stop an occupant from harming the body, sometimes even getting injured as well. She hoped the demon who took over Nike's body had enough sense to keep the host intact.

Diana looked between Gray and Olivia to which meant the girl had given as much as she can. Diana seemed unable to ask herself and so rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Olivia turned to Gray and asked, "Anything else, Brendan?"

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

It took some effort for Nike not to flinch while Milton bragged about the rare sanctum he had found as he stood talking to his neighbor the angel and…herself. Good thing he had missed those weird demons that appeared the previous night on her scramble up the mountain. Those same demons she nearly incinerated. She hoped the old man might continue to live in peace despite all that.

At least the angel meant no harm to Milton. He'd have done something by now if he intended. Maybe he really had some kind of reason to hide out here in these hills for all these years. Not that she'd ever find out that reason considering she had yet to convince the windbag to let her have a proper meal, let alone hold a full conversation with her.

The comment from said windbag earned him a glare. He seemed eager to get away from the old man and continue their little shouting match from earlier. Maybe she should ask to stay longer just to piss the angel off. And get food. She'd like a full meal considering her previous meals consisted of crappy chicken strips for lunch and a bag of chips the other night. Her stomach grumbled again. She had never felt so hungry in her life.

But Milton done enough. Making his life harder just to make herself happy wouldn't be right. "Yeah, we can go." Maybe she'd have a better chance to get some food out of the angel since she'd gotten some of her energy back after sleeping last night. "It was nice to meet you, Milton."

Brendan Gray​

Diana's statement offered Brendan a few intriguing details into the home life of one of the departments most respected colonels, but suggested little about the events that took place outside of the obvious. The missing twin had been possessed and Lee likely died attempting to stop the demon before it could hurt its host. Brendan kept the theory to himself, not wanting to given Diana more bad news after the day that she had just endured.

One issue remained. Possessed or not, they had to find her sister and get the girl some help.

"You mentioned your sister came home with stitches. Did this happen often? And do you know where she might have gone to get into these fights?" It seemed odd to think of Xander having a problem child when the girl in front of him looked like the very definition of straight-laced and upstanding. Damn near an ideal candidate for recruitment if it weren't for her shier side and recent trauma. He supposed being twins only indicated shared genetics, not personality.

His main concern lay in finding where that demon had come from. They tended to like individuals they perceived as powerful. If the sister had a habit of fighting or otherwise showing off physical strength, she might have caught the attention of one on the street. That the demon had decided to piss off a hunter just to get itself a host seemed strange, but not all Class A's were intelligent beings.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon​

"Same to you," the old man grinned. "Stop by again if you ever need anything, or just want to chat."

Once the demon spawn had gathered her new things, Simon waved goodbye to Milton and led the way back to the cabin.

"You're a clever one, I'll give you that," he muttered once the door closed behind them. "But don't believe for one second I'll be careless again. Milton may have bought your story—as ridiculous as it sounded—that doesn't put you in the clear, especially with me." He opened the basement door, jerking his chin towards the stairs. "You got what you wanted. Now get back in there and stay there."

Diana​

Diana slightly flinched when Mr. Gray asked his next question. Did she just give out her sister's secret? Crap.

"Your sister won't get in trouble," Olivia interjected as if reading her thoughts. "But you have to answer the question."

Diana hesitated. She didn't want to be the person who told the authorities what Nike was doing, but it was too late to back out now. Mr. Gray had already mentioned it and apparently needed information on the fights for the investigation. Maybe with all that happened, they'll excuse Nike of the things she's been involved in the past few years.

"S-sometimes, but not all the time." She bit her lip, looking from Mr. Gray to Olivia. The older blonde woman nodded for her to continue. "Sometimes she'd have a bruise or scratch, but not often stitches." At least, none that were ever visible like the ones she had last night. Stitches seemed to be the worst injury she'd suffer. Whenever Nike would be gone for extended periods of time and Diana started to fear they'd get a call from the hospital saying her sister had been admitted to some ICU bed or something, out of the blue Nike would come home and look as clean as if she went out for grocery shopping. "And I don't really know where she had the fights."

Looking back on it now, Diana should have at least known where Nike was doing the things she was doing. She never asked and never tried to find out for herself, the growing rift between Nike and Xander putting such thoughts in the back of her mind. Concerned as she was, Diana had decided she didn't want to be another person her sister pushed away, keeping her mouth shut and hoping that eventually, Nike would start opening up on her own. That was the plan at least until last night.

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

Already Nike missed the old man she had met mere minutes ago. As they walked across the yard back to the cabin, she silently wished she had found herself in a prison instead of here. Prisoners were given three square meals a day and whatever essentials they required to live. Most had the right to recreational time outside of their cells. This angel, despite his apparent duty to help her, refused to do even that. What was Xander thinking sending her here?

Nike felt something in her snap when the door closed and the angel pointed to the stairs. "What's your problem, asshole?!" she demanded as she dropped the box. "I saved your butt with my story and this is how you thank me? You can't just bring a random stranger into your home and refuse to explain it. If I left that up to you, you'd probably have blown that precious cover of yours that you're so worried about me blowing. Besides I wasn't going to let the neighbors think I'm your new mail order bride. Not like you'd ever get a girl to stay within three feet of you voluntarily."

A low groan escaped her as she brushed her fingers through her tangled hair. "I'm trying to figure out a way to make this work for however long it needs to, but you're not doing a damn thing to help." Her tail escaped her jacket, lashing behind her as she fought back the urge to storm out the front door again.

"I can't just go sit in your basement forever like a freaking toaster you never wanted," she growled, her arms folding over her chest, "I need food and water which I had hoped to pick up in town before you threw a fit. I don't know how it works on your planet, but here we need to eat to live! I'm starving and I have been since I got here. You did say you intended to do Xander a favor by keeping me alive, right? Then I'm going to need more than a bag of chips a day and until I get something more substantial, I'm not going to sit in your stupid basement waiting for a slow death from starvation! I already offered to replace your precious food with my own money so either give me some of yours or let me go find my own!"

Brendan Gray​

Brendan nodded as he scratched down his notes. So the twin had been in the local brawling scene, a bizarre relic that lived on in the slums of the city. G.U.A.R.D.S had found more than a few demons hiding amongst the chaos and causal bloodshed there, most looking for better bodies to possess when their old shells began to show wear and tear. Maybe the girl had shown promise during one of her bouts, enough promise for a demon to take on a high level hunter.

"Kims is correct," he replied as he glanced up from his notes, "We want to help your sister, not get her in trouble. Information like this just tells us where we might be able to find her."

Though given the people who inhabited that part of the city, Brendan feared their search had just grown more complicated rather than clearer. No one there made a habit of speaking to anyone in authority hence why so many demons made their hiding places out there. Unless someone sprouted wings or some other obvious sign of host abuse, a demon could avoid capture for years.

He glanced down his list of notes. One last question remained, the one he had hoped to avoid asking. "Diana, could you tell me about the relationship between your sister and your guardian? I'm sorry to ask this of you given all that's happened, but we need to know if your sister is likely to try and seek him out or if she'd be more likely to avoid him." If monitoring that house was a waste of time, he wanted to know before they wasted the manpower on it for a week or more.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon
​

"Saved me? Saved me? I don't recall ever needing saving, especially by a demon like you." He pointed a finger at her. "There wouldn't have even been that whole fiasco if you stayed down there like you were supposed to. And Great One, what is this 'mail order bride' you're calling yourself? You're a demon, not . . . whatever that is."

Simon sighed, removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. Why did this have to happen to him? First, it was falling to Assiah, living here and blending in with those of this realm, then being charged with Xander's 'daughter' who was also a demon, and now the spawn was causing unwanted trouble. Xander must have some ironic sense of humor to send her to live with him. A demon and an angel, residing under one roof. What is the man even thinking?

"Damn it, you don't need to yell. And it's a realm, not a planet. I—we—come from a different realm than this one."

He glared at her one more time before turning towards the table. There was a letter, the same letter Xander sent along with the demon.

"Nike is a demon. Regardless of that, she is my daughter and I love her as such."

He remembered those words from Xander's letter. He made it very clear how much he cared for her despite the fact she was a demon. Simon still wondered how the elder man raised her as a human let alone even turned her into one, but she's important to Xander. His daughter. Simon hated to admit it, but she was also right. She needed food and water and he was supposed to provide that. Until Xander returned, Simon was responsible for her well-being. If he returned and discovered he let her starve to death . . . Simon didn't want to think of having failed the man who helped him with so much.

"Fine. We'll go to town and you can get the stuff you need if it will shut you up." He rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming. The stress was finally catching up to him. "Not now. Later, or even better tomorrow. When Milton comes by with food, I'll—" he knit his eyebrows together—"give you some. For now, just eat something from the cold food box, go back downstairs and out of my sight until then."

Diana​

A personal question, one that in any other situation would have been intrusive. Mr. Gray at least explained the purpose which cleared up the reason why they needed to know what things were like at home.

"They . . . weren't exactly on speaking terms," she said. "They conflicted before, usually about stuff like grades and if she got in a fight with another kid. Then Nike dropped out of school and that seemed to be the last straw. They avoided each other, er, Nike avoided Dad, and if they ever did bump into each other, it never ended well."

The last time they talked had been yesterday. It was awkward at first until the topic became about another college visit Diana was planning, but it was short lived and soon Xander was talking privately to Nike in his office.

"They did talk yesterday." She suddenly added. "At first everything seemed okay, then Dad saw something in the mail and spoke to her alone in his office. It was about a recent fight she had and the stitches she got because of it." She wasn't sure how helpful this information would be to their investigation. Diana only added that part in because they were on the topic. It could be so trivial they wouldn't even need it, but she will give any details she can to help them her sister.

 

[Tinder]

Nike​

Demon. Nike felt the tail droop as each accusation drove home just how inhuman she suddenly had become. Not a planet, but a realm. Not a human, but a demon. Everything she had known was a lie.

None of it made sense. She had a sister, a perfectly ordinary sister who wanted to be a doctor. A twin who looked just like Nike did…or had before that spell. Had it all been a ruse just to keep her convinced she belonged in this world? It seemed impossible that all those memories could be fabricated. She had grown up in that house with Xander and Diana just like any normal kid. Except no kid got in as many fights as she did or climbed skyscrapers like she had or healed as fast as she had.

Maybe she had never been normal.

"It's called a refrigerator," she muttered as she turned from the angel and shuffled into the kitchen with her tail dragging behind her. She had too much to think about to keep fighting with the stupid windbag. A little food would have to be her only victory for the day. Maybe a full belly and some sleep would help her to make sense of this mess.

Brendan Gray
​

A high school dropout with no ties to home, the best kind of host. Maybe the girl would try to contact her sister, but even that seemed unlikely. It was going to be a complicated search.

That bill that Diana had mentioned might offer them some leads. Supernatural had no understanding of a paper trail or other technical complications that came with modern living. The experienced ones knew enough to care for their host which meant acquiring food, but none of them knew those records from their shopping ventures offered G.U.A.R.D.S a plethora of clues on where to find them. With any luck, Nike would have the same chip on her that she used with the bill.

Brendan offered Diana a smile. "Thank you. This information is very helpful and it will help us to make our search more effective."

If only he could promise that it would bring her sister back.

"That's all the questions I have for you. I'm going to go get this written up. Someone should be by in a few minutes to get you some snacks and something to drink, maybe a magazine or two to help you pass the time. Feel free to use that TV in the corner until then or just make yourself comfortable. Once we've got everything processed, we should be able to send you back to your safe house for the day." He stood up and offered her his hand. "Thank you for all your help, Diana. We'll let you know as soon as we know anything."

He glanced over at Kims. "Thanks for helping with this, Olivia. You'd better get out of here and get some rest now. Rashn is already complaining about the amount of overtime going into everyone's paychecks since yesterday," he chuckled softly. With one last glance at Diana, he waved both women goodbye and ducked out of the room.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Simon
​

He ignored her correction, watching as she grabbed some food and disappeared into the basement. Well, that's that. That should keep her sated until Milton finishes making his dish which should be soon. In the meantime, he'll put a seal on that basement door so she won't be getting out that way anytime soon.

This won't last long, he told himself. Xander will come by soon and fix everything. He just hoped he himself can handle things until then.

Diana​

Olivia waved goodbye to Mr. Gray as he left. The blonde woman then flashed Diana another tired smile of her own.

"Anything I can get you before I go?"

Diana shook her head. "I'll be okay. As okay as I could be."

Olivia nodded. There was only so much they can do at this point. All that was left was to wait. She may not be as seasoned as Okuma or Weber, but she has seen a fair number of children who lost family members, many who were also possession victims. Her father's ring hanging from her neck was a constant reminder of her own loss; the days he was marked missing without a trace, only for him to show up later, possessed by some angel who decided to take action at some crowded event. Despite him gone, she kept the ring close to remember him by. She hoped for Diana's sake, things turn out better than it did for her.

"I'll give you my number." She scribbled her number on a scrap of paper and handed it to Diana. "If you ever need anything, or even someone to talk to, just give me a call." She stood up, rubbing her tired eyes. "Bye Diana."

Diana waved as Olivia left the room. She took the TV remote on the table next to her and turned on the TV. However, it was all just for noise and she never really watched whatever morning show as playing. She pulled her knees up to her chin, staring at nothing as she waited for any news to come her way.

Shikoba Weber
​

Two files tucked under his arm, Shikoba Weber made his way to Zien. He waved at Bai who sat on the desk across from Zien, flipping through a folder of her own case. Typical of the woman, stacks of papers lay across her desk, pens and other supplies all over the place. She waved back, taking the folder and leaving the two men, a small stack of papers sliding onto Zien's desk as she walked away.

"Hey Okuma," Shikoba Weber greeted, rearranging Bai's papers and placing them back on her desk. "Calvin told me you wanted to see his forensics report—" he held up one manila folder labeled with the Lee case number and set it on Zien's desk. "And this is a report on my findings. Figured you especially would want to see this." He held up the other folder and opened it to the first page. "Looked into Lee's wards. Placement was impeccable, and Lee regularly checked his wards. Wouldn't expect any less from the man.

"But they were weak, at least weaker than what I'd expect from Xander Lee. The body is still being examined but it seems his wards just weren't as strong as before." It was possible that age could play a factor, but considering Lee, it was just so unlikely. Shikoba himself was middle age but his barriers were still as strong as his Rank 2 days. It wasn't even a matter of Lee being out of practice. Lee made a business setting up wards and charms for other households, so he was definitely still practicing. Somehow, Xander Lee got weaker in his retirement from the force and died at the hands of what would have been an easy victory for him.

"There's more." He flipped through his file to another page. "I did an examination of the room where Lee died and found a strong energy signature." On the page was a sigil Shikoba frequently used for detecting energy signatures from supernatural. There was a burn starting from the center of the seal and going outwards to the very edge. The page was so burnt it was ready to crumble any second. "At first, it wrinkled on me, indicating one type, then it turned into what you see here. Either the demon has two elemental natures, or there was another."

It wasn't unheard of for a supernatural to be able to control more than one element. Shikoba has fought many with two, even three elements. What made this case particularly difficult was discerning if the Lees were attacked by one, or if there was another demon who entered the picture. He could go back and check again, but that wasn't going to be likely anytime soon.

"The energy left over is strong. Very strong. More than what you see in a regular possession. It—" he pursed his lips "—there's enough to indicate manifestation."

 

[Tinder]

Zien​

Zien dedicated most of his morning to filling out his mandatory investigation report on the previous night. One of the perks of being a third ranking agent. He chewed on the end of a pen as punched in another elaborate sentence saying absolutely nothing. The girl had taken priority last night after Hendricks managed to traumatize her by casually bringing up the death of her guardian. He would have no answers until he saw the other reports like the rest of the department. And when he had those answers, the brass would want another three reports before they actually authorized anyone to take on the investigation. He needed to talk to Rashn about that.

Just as he emailed out his report, Weber appeared at his desk with two of the reports that actually mattered. Zien picked up the first folder as Weber flipped the other open and went into more detail.

The issues of ward strength set off the first alarm for Zien. Weakened wards from one of the legends of the department. He examined the tests and conclusions, his frown deepening. Not even the geezers at the top had wards that looked like these. Perfectly drawn but with what looked to be half the strength that he knew Xander had been capable of. His mentor had never been so sloppy. It went against everything that Diana had told him. Xander cared about these girls, so he had no reason to skimp on their protection. Yet he left them weak enough for some meager Class A break in with the help of a couple of goons.

Or maybe not so meager. Multiple elements and one that looked like nothing that Zien had ever seen. He knew less about sigils than others in the department, but he had learned how to recognize the various elements for reading reports. Nothing had ever left a sigil burned like that before. Multiple elements or multiple demons. Either way something powerful had come for that missing twin.

Powerful enough for a manifestation. He grimaced. The conclusion had some solid evidence behind it, but it meant the girl was already gone. No one came back from a manifestation. Exorcism left behind nothing more than an empty shell that lacked the capacity even to care for itself, like the victim was braindead. "Not something anyone is going to like hearing," he replied, his voice even. He scanned the results again. "But you might be right. This is too much for a possession. Something used powerful magic in that room. Probably what killed Lee."

He leaned back in his chair as he looked over the forensic report. Minor injuries, but inside…burns. His eyes widened. Third degree burns inside his body and other evidence of trauma that nothing in that room accounted for. He cursed softly. "The girl only mentioned the one demon, but there could have been a second. Maybe another one smelled the blood and came to fight over the host. We'll have to see what Gray found out." He looked over the sigil again. "Any idea what these elements were?"

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Shikoba Weber​

Shikoba had no doubt a certain person will not take this well. Breaking the bad news was probably the worst part of the job. Manifestations always made him sick whenever he had to tell anyone their loved one is gone. To take over someone else's body, use and abuse it to their own whims then suddenly destroy the person inside while warping the body with tails or wing-like protrusions? Angel or demon it was cruel. All the more reason for him to be on the force, fighting alongside legends like Lee or his former student Okuma.

"When the paper wrinkled the first time, the energy signature was lightning based. Then it burned and became like this—" he gestured to the paper. "That means fire."

Two demons or one, whatever happened last night was bad. Bad enough to take out one of their best. When Shikoba himself saw Calvin's forensics report and the amount of internal damage done to Lee's body, he half wondered if the demon had managed to possess Xander before finding a better host in the girl. Added measure by scorching his insides to make sure the previous host didn't try and save his child.

"There was something else. It was brief—so quick I almost missed it. The same time it burned, something dark appeared. And I mean literal dark. It was just this black mass and then it was gone." He paused. "You ever heard of the element of darkness?"

 

[Tinder]

Zien​

Zien's eyes shot up from the papers to drill into Weber. "Then the girl is as good as gone. And we have a ticking time bomb on our hands."

The power over darkness itself belonged only to the highest ranking demons: S Class Absolutes. They rarely strayed from Assiah, seemingly content to remaining in their warring plane. If an absolute ever did materialize, it heralded an increase in supernatural activity likely due to the aftermath of a large battle on the other side though that was only theory. But if any demon could kill a former colonel as decorated as Xander, it would be an absolute.

And like that, those final pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. The department needed to go on high alert until this girl was found and confined. An absolute with a body to hide in could wreak havoc before being caught. Unlike their angel counterparts, they were adept at adapting to their surroundings and blending into society seamlessly. If it was left unchecked to gather the necessary energy to ascend, it would leave behind a body count akin to a serial killer.

He set the reports back down. "Her sister deserves to know this. I'm not feeding her any false hope when we have evidence like this. Have any decisions been made or am I the first to know about this?"

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Shikoba Weber
​

Like the genius he is, Okuma came to the same conclusion he had. Being born in a family of hunters, trained by the best of the best, or a combination of both, Shikoba knew this agent would be as invaluable as his master. Zien was already Rank 3 and with enough experience under his belt to take on an apprentice. Anybody lucky enough to become his apprentice would benefit from all the knowledge he had to offer; though the question was would Okuma ever have an apprentice? In all the years Shikoba had known Okuma, taking on an apprentice never seemed to cross his mind.

He nodded in agreement with Okuma's intentions. The truth will hurt, but it was better than giving the girl lies.

"You're the first to know. Thought I'd tell you before Rashn assigns the case. Doubt you'll be on that since you were Lee's student." He could just see Rashn making the argument that Okuma's connection would hinder his ability to carry out a proper investigation. He didn't question the ethics behind it, but he was sure a lot of people would want in on this case, especially those who knew Lee. He for sure did. Shikoba then placed his hands in his pockets and sighed. "Wish I could tell you if it was two demons or one really powerful one. If I had more time, I could look at it again and create a new sigil, but Rashn's already pulled me off the case. He's assigned me a new one; some kid witnesses say was on fire." He chuckled. "He called it 'The Downtown Burning Girl'" He shrugged. Only in this line of work.

"And that's all I got for you." Shikoba returned the files back into the folders and lifted them from Okuma's desk. "I'll have to turn these in for records, but in a day or two, it should available for all. Gray's also working on his report so the official victim's testimony will be included by then too." He put two fingers against his temple and made his way to Rashn's office to turn in the files.

 

[Tinder]

Zien​

After Weber took off to send in his reports, Zien continued his own paperwork to waste the hour or two it would take for the information to get through the whole chain of command. It annoyed him to know that he would be taken off the case due to personal connections—as one of their best agents, he wanted to use his talent to serve his teacher one last time—but he knew better than to argue with the higher ups. If he pissed one of them off, he would be getting grunt work for the next two months until someone decided he had remembered how to follow orders.

No, he called in his favors with Rashn to be the one to tell the girl the news. They argued over telling her so early in the investigation, but it only took Zien pointing out half a dozen obvious facts from the report to convince him that the evidence was clear. Giving her false hope, even in the form of no news, would only drag out her pain. He promised to keep the details vague, though that he knew to be a lie. His teacher had always told him the complete truth regardless of how hard that truth was, and he intended to treat his child with the same kind of respect.

Lunchtime had rolled around by the time Zien got his verbal approval. A few agents had checked in with the girl since her testimony to be sure she was comfortable, though no one had stayed for longer than a minute or two. At least they had found her a bed for the night so she had somewhere to go for the night. Any kind of comfortable would be helpful after this news.

Inside the interrogation room, he found Diana sitting on the couch watching the TV. He gave her a nod and took a seat in one of the chairs across from her. Once she had given him her full attention, he began. "We'll take you to your temporary housing soon so you can rest up. With you testimony recorded, you don't need to sit around here anymore. They'll have essentials there for you like toiletries and clean clothes until someone can get your things delivered to you."

He gave the good news a moment to settle. "Before you go, the preliminary reports have come back. I have news about your sister."

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Diana​

As the day went, Diana received more visitors: agents of G.U.A.R.D.S. coming in to check on her. Some brought food, others to make idle conversation. One of them was an agent bringing in some coffee who mentioned she was an apprentice when Xander used to work for G.U.A.R.D.S. None of them stayed for very long, mostly because Diana herself never kept up any conversation. The tv stayed on, but it was background noise as she wasn't paying attention to whatever show was playing at that moment.

The door opened again, and Diana expected another agent but was surprised to see it was Mr. Okuma who entered. She turned off the TV as he sat down. He mentioned there was a place set up and ready to house her soon.

When he mentioned more news about Nike, Diana sat up straighter, putting her feet on the floor and sliding to the edge of her seat. "Did you find her? And did you take the demon out of her? Is she ok and can I see her?"

 

[Tinder]

Zien​

Zien held up a hand to halt the onslaught of questions. Bad news never came easily, but when someone had clung to hope like Diana, it felt like he held a knife poised over their heart. No amount of time would soften this blow. Normally, he pushed these this duty off on lower ranking agents, but not today. He had one last chance to do something for his old mentor before Rashn pulled him off the case. Painful or no, he would see it through to the end.

"We haven't found her yet. Our agents are out there trying, but the investigation is in the early phase." He leaned forward onto his knees. "However, recent evidence has come to our attention that allowed us to determine the type of demon that has likely possessed your sister and killed her father. It's what is known as an Absolute. They're very powerful and very rare demons with the ability to use powerful magic including the power of darkness itself. Out of all the demons that we know of, they're the most cunning and ruthless. When one appears, it will blend into society, jumping from host to host until it has accumulated enough power to ascend by to Assiah."

He knew these sounded like empty facts to a civilian, but he found that leading with the technical helped to avoid the question of why it had happened. During his own youth, he had sought comfort in those same technical explanations when his world came crashing down.

However, those facts only delayed the inevitable. He looked directly into her eyes and continued, "An Absolute will use its host until they break before abandoning the body. Once someone is possessed by one, the chance of them surviving any confrontations is next to nothing. Even if we track her down today, the demon will fight us tooth and nail, and likely destroy her mind before we can get it out. That is if it hasn't done that already. I'm sorry, Diana, but your sister won't be coming home."

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Diana​

Okay, so they knew what type of demon attacked the Lees last night: some powerful and scary demon that agents rarely encountered. She knew that at least. From Mr. Okuma's description, it was type she heard on the news on the rare occasion where horrible, horrible tragedies followed in its wake. G.U.A.R.D.S. classifying this demon as an Absolute was lost on her. Angels and demons—especially demons—were the same, no matter what rank or type of power they held: Monsters who preyed on humans like they were nothing. Still, she listened to what Mr. Okuma had to say as any information was better than no information.

And then his next words.

"I'm sorry, Diana, but your sister won't be coming home."

First, she blinked, staring at Zien.

"I-I'm sorry—" she paused. A lump formed in her throat "—what?" But she didn't need him to repeat everything. She heard it all. Clearly.

She shook her head, Mr. Okuma growing blurry before her eyes. "No. No, no, no, no, no no. That can't be true. My sister—Nike. Oh Nike!" Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands, sobs wracking her entire body. This demon killed her father and now her sister was gone too. That skull-faced monster made her worst nightmare, the one thing above all else she hoped would not be true, now her reality.

She was all alone.